Hello From Pattaya, Thailand; 04/10/2562 (Year of The Buddha ) Oct. 04/2019

I have been here in Pattaya since Tuesday morning, and will be returning to Bangkok early afternoon tomorrow by train. That will cost me about .50 cents, Canadian. I came down on a but, which cost much more...five dollars!!!. Ground transportation is not expensive...unless one uses a taxi, and is not aware of the set rates. On the way from my apartment to the bus station, a taxi cost me five dollars, and it took an hour....most of it stuck in traffic at rush hour.
The smog hit Bangkok Tuesday morning, lasting for two days...well above the health safety level. It was my choice to come here, rather than going to the site of the famous Bridge on The River Kuai..different ways of spelling this. It was forecast for rain there...more so than here at Pattaya.
Both are about the same distance out, one north-west, the other, south of Bangkok.
Since this is known as the rainy season here, there are not many tourists. Until today, I think there were only about three rooms at this hotel that were occupied....and probably over 40 units in all.
As I walked the beach and visited the new malls...two new malls....huge in size, both built in the last two years, it became immediately clear that there were few tourists...mostly locals.
This is a week of celebration for China...starting yesterday, 70th anniversary, so about one hundred thousand Chinese are expected in the next few days. In addition, the government has created a scheme to help the poorer people of the country see their areas, so ten million will see a payment made to their bank, to encourage them to travel during this slow time, and on for the following two months.
I walked the beach yesterday and today, some boating activity with parasailing, but no wind for sailing. Some of the activity on the water is staff training, and...playing during their quiet season.

I do not have much planned for the one week plus a couple days before going home, but will attempt to get to the National Museum to see the Terracotta Warriors display. Last week, they decided to shut down on Mondays and Tuesdays....not much warning for tour groups.
It is so slow here, that on three occasions when I walked into McDonald's for a coffee, I was the only customer...and one of those times was at noon!!!
I will do a report prior to my departing for Canada on October 14, at nine P.M., when I take a taxi to the airport. My first flight departs here on the 15th at 01;10 A.M....and I get home 27 hours later...same date....at ten P.M.